Annual Report for 1908 of the Consulting Chemist. 301 
starch and rice husk, the latter so finely ground up that it was 
very difficult of detection. 
7. Pig Meal. 
A sample of pig meal which was sold at 11. 10s. per ton, 
and was stated to consist of three parts of barley meal and one 
part of wheat screenings, was found to be very inferior and to 
contain weed seeds and sweepings. Among the weed seeds 
were cockle seed, chenopodium, and polygonum, together with 
per cent, of sand. 
In another instance a member sent me a sample of what 
had been sold to him as a “ suitable meal for pigs.” He 
complained, however, that the pigs did not take to it, and that 
some of them had died. On examination of the meal I found 
it to consist of damaged cotton seed and to be extremely acid. 
Such a material as this is one altogether unfitted to the digestion 
of pigs. 
8. Shudes. 
Under the name “shudes” or “ shude-meal ” — a term 
which, when properly applied, refers to the outer husk of 
certain grains such as oats, rice, &c., — there has been put on 
the market, and sent widely to millers throughout the country, 
a material which is composed entirely of sawdust and sulphate 
of lime (gypsum), practically half and half. There is reason to 
believe that this has been largely used for adulterating the 
different offals of wheat, and also in the compounding of meals 
for feeding purposes. It is needless to state that the constitu- 
ents, sawdust and gypsum, are in no sense feeding materials, 
and, under certain conditions, and if used in any quantity, 
may be distinctly injurious. 
The material is offered at 21. 15s. per ton. 
In one instance a member of the Society sent me a sample 
of sharps which gave, on analysis — 
Mineral matter .... 16‘04 per cent. 
Including sulphate of lime . . 12'97 „ 
The examination of this sample showed me that the sharps 
had been adulterated with sawdust and gypsum, very probably 
by the addition of a material such as that described above. 
B. Fertilisers. 
1. Basic Slag. 
The following is an instance of an exceptionally good 
quality sample : — 
Percentage of — 
Phosphoric acid 23 29 
Equal to phosphate of lime .... 50' 84 
Fineness of grinding ..... 82'0 
